Apartment block for the elderly in Valletta

A number of elderly persons in Valletta will soon have something to smile about after the Housing Authority yesterday announced the construction of a block of apartments for the elderly.

Work on the block, located in Merchants Street right in front of St Dominic church, is expected to start in September, to be completed by December 2005.

During a news conference on site, authority chairperson Marisa Micallef Leyson gave details of how the dilapidated corner building will make way for the new project.

It will consist of eight one-bedroom apartments, which will be built to suit the needs of elderly tenants. Another block for the same purpose was recently constructed in Floriana.

Both blocks are part of what is known as Category 1 sheltered housing - totally self-contained flats reserved for older people.

The new block in Merchants Street will introduce the new concept of the "responsible tenant", which means a specific occupant within the block will be responsible for overseeing tenants' needs as well as maintenance.

The Lm170,000 project will also include a small social centre for the elderly living in the locality.

Ms Micallef Leyson said there were 300 people from Valletta awaiting alternative accommodation. Of these, 100 are elderly individuals, two-thirds of whom have single status.

The parliamentary secretary for the elderly, Frans Agius, stressed the importance for the elderly to continue living within the community, independent and in their own environment.

Several individuals, Dr Agius noted, were applying for long-term care way before they needed it.

Valletta mayor Paul Borg Olivier explained the problems of relocation within the city, especially since a lot of vacant property in Valletta was privately-owned.